


Wife of the Wicked

by SilentScreams



Category: Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2014-01-03
Packaged: 2018-01-02 02:20:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1051384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentScreams/pseuds/SilentScreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The League meets John. Bane's wife from the Pit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rated M, just in case 'cause I have no idea where this is going.

They were trained by the League of Shadows. They were trained not only to hide their emotions, but to control their emotions. They've faced bullets, swords, extreme temperatures, hunger, suffered multiple severe wounds (as in bleeding out profusely from various body parts) without any proper medical aid while being in the middle of nowhere for days and through all that they never let their emotions show. No amount of fear, pain, or worry peeking through their facial expressions. Nothing they could come across would faze them. They were part of the most feared, respected, even the most hated organization in history.

Yet at this moment they all felt on the verge of a breakdown.

They had just stepped off the plane onto the pavement of the abandoned airstrip where they landed, the League members standing tall and stoic, waiting for their leader, Bane. Looking at them, all you would see is 14 men with hard, blank expressions on their faces. Fierce men you wouldn't dare try to mess with. But to someone such as himself, one of the very few to be personally trained by Bane and also his second-in-command, you could see the small tics in their faces and hands. The tightening of their jaws as they grit their teeth together, the slight bob of their adams apple as they nervously swallowed, fingers twitching, their backs rigid. To the trained eye you could see how nervous they were. 

Gunfire, swordfights, starvation, even being beat half to death by Bane's hands. That was nothing to them. They were trained for that. 

Meeting John Blake was something they were not trained for.

To some it may not seem like a big deal. To some he may seem like a nobody. Just an average officer working a desk job at the Gotham City Police Department. Living in a modest two bedroom apartment in downtown Gotham. Works from 8:30 to 5:00, comes home and cooks for himself and his best friend, Jason. Pays his bills on time, helps people whenever he can, visits the St. Swithin's boys' orphanage almost every Saturday. All in all, he seems like a regular guy.

Sure, he's smart, kind, and absolutely gorgeous, but even so, how could this one guy have the men of the League of Shadows so nervous.

Simple.

He was Bane's wife.

 

* * *

 

Talia had told them stories about John. About his time in the Pit. She didn't tell the entire League these stories. No, it was just him and five others that had heard them directly from Talia.

All six of them were resting after he had finished training them in the courtyard. Bane was standing on one of the second story balconies, observing the progress of his students. 

"You have all improved greatly since your last session. Barsad is teaching you well." The metallic rasp of Bane's voice drawing their attention.

Every man gave a bow of their heads in respect and gratitude. Bane nodded his head in return. He then turned to Barsad and nodded at him, Barsad repeating the action.

Bane then turned and left through one of the open rooms. Although no one would say it or show it, they were shocked that Bane had given them a compliment. He was usually critical of their actions, always telling them what they did wrong and how to improve. So to hear a compliment from Bane for the first time, Barsad knew, must have them all feeling elated. He was proud to see them concealing their reactions well. As true warriors of the League of Shadows should.

"I assume training is over for the evening, yes?" Talia's voice calling to him from behind. He turned his head a fraction to see her coming to stand beside him, as she gave a quick nod of her head in response to his students bowing .

"Yes, we just finished," He replied.

"I heard Bane's words of praise. You must be a wonderful teacher, Barsad," Talia says, looking over at him.

"The praise should go to my students. They're the ones learning and improving at an impressive rate," he meets her eyes, before looking out to the five men standing perfectly still with hands held behind their backs.

Talia gives a soft laugh, "So modest, Barsad."

He pauses for only a moment before he says, "We don't usually hear such praise from Bane." When he glances over he sees her give a soft smile.

"No, not usually, but he's in good mood," she replies.

"Oh, " he didn't know what else to say to that. Bane being in a good mood seemed like a foreign idea. Not that he was usually in a bad mood, it's just he's always so focused on training. His own and the others'. It was something they were all focused on, but Bane was extremely dedicated. As far as they all knew he only took breaks to eat, sleep, and shower. Once those necessities were taken care of, he went right back to his training.

"Yes, he'll be leaving in a week to visit John," Her voice soft as she spoke.

All he could do was nod.

_Leaving?_ _John?_

When he said nothing, Talia looked over at him, raising an eyebrow in question. Before he could say anything, realization seemed to dawn on her face.

"Oh, that's right, we haven't told anyone of him," She then went to sit down on one of the steps leading up onto the porch area. She looked over to the men still standing, before instructing them to clean their weapons. They bowed and immediately did as she ordered, gathering their weapons and moving onto the porch. Sitting down cross legged, they began to clean in silence.

She gave a slight pat to the space beside her, "I can see you have questions. Sit, I'll tell you about him." He went to sit beside her leaving some space between them, giving a slight bow of his head.

"You know about the Pit?" she asked. At Barsad's nod, she continued. 

"Well about a month before my mother died, Bane was giving me a reading lesson. We were on the third page of the book, when we heard commotion coming from the center of the Pit. We ignored it for a while, assuming it was just another fight about to break out. They kept getting louder, they were excited about something. Bane finally got up to go see what was happening. One of the older prisoners, who helped raise Bane, came close enough to the cell and told us there was a new prisoner." 

"They then started talking quietly to themselves before Bane left the cell to go join the others. I continued to read for a few minutes when I heard Bane yell at the other prisoners. Some of the braver ones talked back, challenging him. When I looked I saw Bane standing in front of the new prisoner, blocking him from the others. Bane then spoke quietly, I don't know what he said, but it scared them enough to send them back to their own cells. A few minutes later, Bane came back to the cell, the new prisoner with him." She paused briefly, staring out onto the courtyard.

"John?" he asked. She nodded her head, a small soft smile on her face now. 

"Yes. John Blake. He was so scared and confused, like everyone sent to the Pit. Bane went to speak with my mother and the older prisoner in private, leaving me and John alone in Bane's cell." She laces her fingers together, her smile growing a little wider. "He was... beautiful. The only pretty thing I ever thought I'd see was my mother. But looking at him then... I thought he was an angel."

As she paused again, her eyes looking into the distance, he finally took notice of his students. They had stopped cleaning their weapons, instead listening intently as Talia spoke. He was sure she had noticed as well, but she did not reprimand them or order them to leave.

She only continued telling them everything that happened, why John was sent to the Pit and his struggle to adapt to his imprisonment. She told them of their friendship, of his kind heart and strong spirit. His sweet, bright smile that could draw anyone to him, like a moth to a flame. His mesmerizing beauty. Soft, unmarred skin, gentle brown eyes. He could put all the gods and goddesses to shame. 

That's when she began to tell them of his beautiful relationship with Bane. Over the course of about two months, they grew to be good friends, Bane protecting him from the other prisoners. Within a few months after their friendship, they fell in love, but kept their feelings hidden for fear of rejection and the prisoners finding out. Eventually they confessed their feelings to one another and Bane asked John to be his wife. They started a wonderful relationship as "husband" and "wife", keeping the loving aspect of their relationship secret from the others.

After that they were like a family, in the privacy of their cell with blankets used as curtains to keep others from seeing them. During the morning hours, Bane would give her reading and writing lessons, in both Arabic and English. In the afternoon, John would teach her math before she would practice her morning reading to John. Afterwards they would play games and tell her stories until nightfall.

When Barsad asked how she felt about John, she replied, a smile on her lips, "I love him as a brother and a friend."

She also told them her favorite memory from the Pit. There was a three month period, before Talia escaped and Bane was attacked, where the Pit was peaceful _(well, as peaceful as a prison could get)_. They had plenty of food, water, clothing, medicine and most of the prisoners had started to give up on ever having John. One night while the prisoners were sleeping, Bane took both her and John outside the cell to the wall that lead to the outside world.

They hid in the shadows, John sitting between Bane's legs, back to chest with Bane's arms wrapped tight around John's waist. Talia used rocks to draw pictures along the stone, while Bane and John talked in private. When she was finished with her drawings, she sat in John's lap as they all looked to the starry night sky. Bane asked about John's life before the Pit. John told them of his home in Gotham City, the orphanage where he grew up, his best friend, the police academy he had been planning to enroll at. They sat under the stars for half the night, listening as John told them about life outside the Pit.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time she finished her story, it was time for the evening meal.

"Once every three months he goes to visit John. As he gets closer to seeing him again, he's usually in a more jovial mood", she finishes, standing and smoothing out the wrinkles in her outfit. They all stand to join her and begin making their way inside to the dining hall. The others followed behind them not saying a word.

"I never realized Bane had a...," he only had a second to try to think of the right word before Talia cut in.

"A lover?" a teasing smile playing at her lips. He gave a small nod, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't come across as disrespectful. Before he could think of anything, Talia continued.

"I understand. The way Bane is, it must seem strange for him to have a lover. Someone he loves more than anything," she releases a soft sigh.

"But he does. He loves John. As John loves him."

The conversation ended as they entered the dining hall, Talia taking her place next to her father, their table set on dais at the end of the hall. He took his seat at the table right below theirs meant for the highest ranked members of the League under Ra's, Talia and Bane. Bane soon entered taking his place next to Talia. He never ate in view of others, but it was required for everyone to be present at every meal. As everyone began to eat in either companionable silence or exchanging stories of the day's training, he couldn't stop thinking of Talia's words. To think that Bane, their fierce, merciless leader had a lover. A  _wife._ To think there was someone else besides Talia, whom he loved as a daughter and as his salvation, that could capture Bane's heart.

To be loved so dearly by Talia and more importantly Bane, he must be one extraordinary person.

John Blake.

 

* * *

 

It was 2 days after Bane had left for Gotham City, when he heard the men talking. He never caught entire conversations, only bits and pieces as he went from one room to the next. They were talking about someone.

It was 4 days after Bane had left for Gotham City, when no matter where he was in the temple, there was always someone talking about him. This person they were sharing rumors about. Whoever it was had the entire League fascinated, he would almost say obsessed.

It was the next morning, as he was walking to the dining hall for their morning meal, when he heard the name.

"Yeah, John Blake."

_John Blake. Bane's wife?_

He's the one everyone's talking about. As he sat at his seat at the table, he couldn't help asking, "Have you heard what the others are talking about?" Mustafa, one of the other high ranked members, looked up at him from his place across the table, "You mean about John?", at Barsad's nod he continued," Yeah, they're all fascinated by him. I admit I am too". He paused to scoop some rice onto his plate.

"Oh?", he replied, scooping food onto his plate as well.

"Yeah, I mean why wouldn't we be? You've heard what they're all saying about him, right?", looking up from his plate to stare Barsad in the eye, " You know, about his beauty and kindness? They're saying that some of them heard it directly from Talia. Apparently he's was Bane's wife when they were in the Pit."

"Yes, I heard," he said, his mind wondering. His students were the ones who told everyone about John. He listened to the quiet chatter of the other men. They were all still talking about him.

He turned back as Mustafa began speaking again, "He sounds amazing, doesn't he?"

Barsad had to admit he couldn't stop thinking about John since he learned of him. Talia's words repeating themselves in his head. The way she spoke of him with such love in her voice and knowing Bane loved him as an equal, as his lover. He couldn't help but feel love and respect for this person who meant so much to their leader.

"He _is_ amazing. I'm sure of it."

Before they could say anything else, Ra's and Talia entered, taking their seats. As Ra's gave a bow of his head, they all began to eat in silence with only one person on their minds.

 

* * *

 

Talk of John continued until Bane returned 3 days later. Bane was still in a good mood for about 2 days and then he was back to the way he usually was, focused only on training. He never did give a compliment to anyone, like usual. For the next three months, no one spoke of him. But he was definitely on all of their minds.

Three months went by and it was time for Bane's trip to Gotham. He left that morning and by nightfall, talk of John began anew. They spoke with such reverence as they said his name. They talked about him every one of the ten days Bane was gone. Once he arrived back, talk of him ceased.

Another three months had passed and it was time once again for Bane to visit John. He was expecting things to play out as they did last time when Talia came to him.

"My father requires your presence," she states, already walking away, knowing he will follow. She takes him to the main courtyard, nodding to her father before going back the way they came. There were 14 other men standing before Ra's. As he went to step in the place of the semicircle they had formed, he saw they were the other high ranking members, Mustafa among one of them.

"Gentlemen, I have been informed by Bane that there is a group of criminals making their way into Gotham City," every man immediately stood up straighter, "We believe that they are infiltrating many positions in the city, from construction workers to high class socialites. It's possible they are from the same organization that have been carrying out attacks throughout Europe and they are now trying to make their way into America. This will be a month long mission. I want you to find out how many of them there are and what they're planning." They all nodded in understanding. 

"Good. You will be leaving this afternoon at four o'clock sharp. Be sure you're ready. Dismissed." 

 

* * *

 

They had all gathered in the front room leading out of the temple. Ra's and Bane were a little ways away, speaking privately. They both finally gave each other a curt nod before stepping away from each other. Bane then went down the hall to their left that lead to a small sitting room where Talia was waiting to say their goodbyes. After he was out of view, Ra's came to step in front of them. Looking at him, you could see a knowing look in his eyes and the barest hint of a smile on his lips.

"You will get to meet him when you arrive," he said. Every single one of them did their best to hold in their gasp of suprise.

Surely he didn't mean  _him._

Could he?

"I hope I shouldn't have to tell any of you to treat him with as much respect as you do with me," he said, looking every one of them in the eyes. 

He did mean it. They already loved and revered John, just based on what Talia told them. Now, they were finally going to meet him. The man who holds Bane's heart, who has Talia's friendship and now, it seems, is held in high regards in the eyes of the leader of the entire League of Shadows, Ra's al Ghul. Finally focusing back on said leader, he could see amusement etched on his face, before he became dead serious. Ra's came two steps closer to place a hand on his shoulder, looking him square in the eye.

Remembering his words and the thinly veiled threat within them, Barsad answered, "Of course."

Staring at him a few more seconds, searching his eyes, Ra's finally gave a nod and a strong pat on his shoulder before stepping away. Not two seconds after, Bane stepped out from the hall, going over to grab his bag, the rest of them doing the same.

Ra's saw them out the temple door and then they were on their two hour journey down the mountain to the plane waiting to take them to Gotham.

 

* * *

 

So now here they are. After the few minutes he spent analysing his men, Bane stepped off the plane. They all grabbed their bags and followed Bane to the three 8 seater SUV's waiting for them.

It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon.

Still plenty of time to meet John.

As everyone put their bags in the trunks of the vehicles, Bane spoke.

"Ra's has rented out a room for each of you at the Gotham City Hotel for the duration of our time here. We'll be heading there now so you can settle in and rest. We won't begin our mission till tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Bane," the men said in unison. Barsad merely nodding to him as Bane did the same. They loaded into the vehicles and headed for the city. Within 30 minutes they were in Downtown Gotham. A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. Bane had the driver take him somewhere ( _John's_ _maybe?_ ) while he and the others went to check in. After unpacking, they all rested for the next two hours.

One of the drivers came up and told him Bane wanted everyone down in 5 minutes. Once he gathered everyone, they loaded back into the vehicles.

In their car, it was Bane and himself in the backseat with Mustafa sitting up front with the driver. The other 13 divided between the other two vehicles. Once they pulled back onto the main road, Bane's voice filled the silence. 

"We're heading to the downtown residential area. There's someone I want you to meet."

Barsad had always thought he was well in control of his emotions. He was one of the best fighters in the League. He was Bane's second-in-command. Whatever battles or hardships he faced, he was always calm and in control, no matter what. 

Yet, knowing who he was about to meet, his heart was in the middle of tearing itself apart. Torn between beating extremely fast or just stopping altogether. Looking over to the passenger seat, he could see Mustafa was also reacting to the news. His shoulders tense and hands gripping his pants until his knuckles were white. If Bane noticed their reactions, he said nothing. Just continued to stare out the window.

Fifteen agonizing minutes later, all three vehicles pulled over in front of an apartment building.

They had arrived.

 

* * *

 

 

Bane was actually taking them to meet John. His beautiful, kind-hearted, strong-willed, angelic wife from the Pit. The one they've been hearing, talking and thinking about for the past 8 months. It was finally happening. 

They were standing on the sidewalk, waiting as Bane talked to the drivers. They handed Bane two keys before all three left in one SUV to go eat at a local restaurant they had passed on the way, leaving the other two SUVS parked next to the curb.

Bane then turned and led the way into the empty lobby, to the staircase. They silently walked up three flights of stairs, their hearts feeling like they were about to burst from their chests, before walking onto the third floor hallway. They continued down until they stopped at the second door from the end of the hall. Bane knocked three times before lowering his hand.

It was simultaneously the longest and shortest 7 seconds of their lives.

When the door opened, they couldn't help but stare.

It was John and he was... well, he was... was...

Nothing like Talia or the rumors said.

Sure the guy was good looking, but nothing like they expected Bane's wife to look like.

He was wearing dark blue jeans, a black shirt, brown leather jacket and black combat boots.

He stood a little taller than themselves, maybe 6 feet tall, about 200 pounds. Lightly tanned skin, straight nose, strong jaw, shaggy black hair and piercing blue eyes that were staring blankly at them while his eyebrows were drawn together in irritation. He had an air around him that seemed to say "Don't mess with me or I'll break you".

This wasn't what they had pictured in their minds.

Not that they would act any differently. He was still Bane's wife and they would treat him with as much respect as they do with Bane, Talia and Ra's.

They just couldn't help the feeling of disappointment that washed over them, chasing the butterflies in their stomachs away and calming their pounding hearts.

When John looked over to Bane, surprisingly, a look of annoyance came over his features.

"Bane," his annoyance slipping into his tone. His voice rougher than they expected. Another disappointment.

"Jason," Bane replied.

The butterflies and racing heartbeats quickly replaced the disappointment that had taken over their bodies.

This wasn't John.

"I see you brought some of your lackeys this time." He leaned one shoulder on the doorframe, crossing both his arms and legs as he scanned his eyes over all of them.

"I'm guessing this is why John made so much for dinner?" Leveling a stare at Bane.

"Yes. When I told him I wanted some of my best men to meet him, he insisted on making dinner for all of us," Bane replied, staring right back. For about 12 seconds all they did was stare, waiting for the other to back down, when a voice from inside the apartment called out.

"Are they here?" This voice softer than Jason's, but still a man's voice.

"Yeah," Jason replied, raising his voice slightly so he was heard. He finally broke the staring contest with Bane, opening the door all the way. 

"Come on," he grumbled, obviously displeased. As they began to follow Bane inside, they felt like they were about to self destruct.

Barsad couldn't control his heartbeat.

Mustafa was breaking out into a cold sweat.

Asad's eyes kept twitching.

Rakin's legs felt like pudding.

Dani's and Asim's hands couldn't stop shaking.

Nasib was sure he was about to throw up.

Tamir, Shakib, Rasul, Jasim and Farid were on the verge of passing out.

Hatim, Zahid, and Basir were close to crying.

The short entry way led into the living area. Jason plopped down onto the couch, picking up a tv remote from the coffee table, flipping the channel to some American sports game. Holding out a hand and waving around the room he said, "Make yourself comfortable", before grumbling under his breath, "Since you'll be here for awhile."

Bane took a few steps forward to look around the wall on their right where the kitchen area must be. Apparently seeing it empty, he began making his way through the hallway to their left. They stood there for about a minute just taking in their surroundings and smelling the incredible aroma wafting from the kitchen. Barsad made the first move to sit down, the others following his lead. There was room for three more people to sit on the couch with Jason. There were two arm chairs on either side of the couch, angled towards the tv. Two more smaller arm chairs sat in front of the windows on the wall across from the front door. The last 8 of them remained standing.

Looking away from the game, Jason pointed a thumb towards the wall beside the front door, "John bought some folding chairs so you wouldn't have to stand or sit on the floor. Sit wherever you like."

Each of them grabbing a chair, they all placed their chairs behind the couch, facing the tv. Not two seconds after they sat down, they all jumped right back up.  Jason cast them an annoyed glance before going back to watching the game. 

The sound of Bane's voice and another man's soft laughter was getting close. 

This couldn't be happening.

They weren't ready for this. They hadn't had enough time to prepare for this moment. They had to get out of here.

Maybe one of them should fake a heart attack. 

They're getting closer.

Maybe one of them should  _have_ a heart attack. Oh, God. Okay, okay, don't panick, just calm down and think. They might have enough time to make a run for the door. Or if they have to, they could just jump out the window. Well, whatever they did, they needed to act fast before...

Oh no, they're...

"Men, I'd like you to meet John Blake."

...here.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After so much positive feedback on the first chapter, I feel like this chapter's a disappointment.  
> I'm worried you guys will be let down and attack me.
> 
> So... I'm gonna hide under my desk.

They were trained by the League of Shadows. They were trained not only to hide their emotions, but to control their emotions. They were some of the best trained warriors in the League. They served an organization that, for thousands of years, have been destroying the corrupt and restoring balance in the world. They had started fires, created plagues and destroyed cities. They have killed thousands of men who were poisoned with greed and power.

They would sacrifice their lives for the League's cause, just as their ancestors had. They would not let them down by falling apart in front of one man. Even if this one man was important to all three of their leaders. They could do this.

Their confidence returning, they all took a deep breath and stood up straight.

Besides, John had never been trained by the League, so it's not like he would be a fierce, imposing presence for them to fear.

Nope, nothing to fear. All they have to do is meet him and introduce themselves. Nothing to it.

_Deep breath._

They held their heads high and proud.

Their eyes instinctively landed on Bane first before they drifted down to the young man he held in his arms.

...

_Oh god._

Talia was right. He _could_ put the gods and goddesses to shame.

There he was, THE John Blake, in all his glorious perfection.

His soft, delicate features, smooth perfect skin, long eyelashes framing gentle brown eyes and soft pink lips turned into a small welcoming smile. Silky brown hair just long enough to fall in soft waves around his head. He had a kind, friendly, loving air around him that they couldn't help but be drawn to. 

Maybe he _was_ an angel.

They felt a strong urge to surround him, to protect him from any and all outside forces that would dare try to lay a hand on him. At the same time they wanted to run as far away as they could from this perfect being.

He was slim, his snug long sleeve shirt showing off lean muscle, reminding them of an acrobats body. He stood about an inch shorter than Barsad's own 5'10. So probably 5'9 and looked to be around 160-165 pounds. He wasn't that much smaller than they were, but tucked next to Bane he looked so small.

Of course, everyone looks small next to Bane (who was 6'3, 250 pounds of pure muscle), but with his beauty, John looked so fragile, so perfect.

It's no wonder why Bane loves him so much.

Who wouldn't love him?

Bane had his right arm around John's shoulders, his hand gently cupping his upper arm, pressing him to his side. John had his right hand resting on the middle of Bane's torso, his other arm appeared to be wrapped around Bane's back. 

"John, I'd like you to meet Barsad. My second-in-command."

John brought his right hand away from Bane to hold out for Barsad to take.

Nervously reaching out, he grasped his hand in a firm, but gentle handshake.

_So soft._

"It's so nice to finally meet you. Bane's told me a lot about you," his lovely voice filling their heads. Finding his voice as fast as he could without stumbling over his words, he only had enough brain cells left to think to say the same.

"It's nice to meet you, John."

Mustafa's, Rakins', Asad's and Dani's mouths felt as dry as the desert, the others simply couldn't remember how to speak, but Bane ( _thankfully_ ) proceeded to introduce them, as they all numbly nodded in greeting.

John then gestured towards the man on the couch ,"This is Jason Todd, my best friend," Jason threw up a reluctant hand in greeting, not looking away from the tv.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes." 

John wanted them to sit down. Sitting. They could handle that.

They slowly sat back down, Rakin grabbing another fold out chair so Bane could have the arm chair and Barsad could take his place on the couch. John went to the kitchen for about a minute before coming back with a chair from the kitchen table. He set it right next to the arm chair Bane sat in before sitting down and turning to look at all of them.

"Bane told me you're all going to be here for a month. Is this your first time in Gotham?"

Barsad the only one with enough courage to speak answered, "Yes, it is. But we've heard a lot about it." Of course, all of it revolving around John.

"What do you think of it so far?" John asked.

"It's... different than what we're used to," Barsad replied. He's doing good so far.

John nodded his head slightly, "Yeah, I imagine after all that time in the temple, it must be kind of a culture shock, huh?"

"A little bit," he said, some of the others nodding in agreement. They all sat in silence, watching the game.

The calm, friendly air that seemed to be emanating from John had them slowly relaxing, bit by bit. The confidence they had lost slowly being built back up. They began to think they might get through this evening without making fools of themselves. No, not might. They would get through it. They may even tell John stories of their time in the temple. Of their training and the battles they have faced. He would be amazed to see the strong, relentess fighters they were.

Yes, they would impress John with their feats of strength and bravery. They could do this.

They  _would_ do this.

They were the League of Shadows. 

Nothing could break them.

Before anyone could say anything else, they were interrupted by a long, high pitched beep.

"Oh, dinner's ready. I hope you guys like beef stew," John said before he gave a wide smile.

Dimples.

He had dimples.

They are _so_ screwed.

 

 

* * *

 

They  _loved_ beef stew.

Well, they had actually never had it until now, but they now know that they loved beef stew. John's homemade beef stew, at least. If this is how he always cooks, they hoped they would get to come over again during their time here. It would be worth the panic attacks just to enjoy his cooking.

John, Jason, Barsad, Mustafa, Rakin, and Dani were sitting at the table. The four latter trying to sit as far away from John as they could without being obvious.

Jasim, Asad, Tamir, Asim and Shakib were able to all crowd around the island in the middle of the kitchen. Nasib, Rasul, Farid, Zahid, Hatim and Basir all sat at the counter.It was a little crowded, but everyone was comfortable.

Bane had taken his bowl of stew, they assumed, to John's room to eat in private.

They ate in ( _awkward_ ) silence for most of the meal, only being broken when John asked if they liked the stew and if they wanted more.

When they had finished dinner, they returned to the living room. Everyone, expect Bane, was enjoying homemade pound cake for dessert. The conversation was mostly being carried by Bane and John. Barsad only speaking when spoken to, the others only nodding, all the while looking anywhere but at John. Since the tv had been turned off, Jason had taken to just glaring at Bane.

When they had finished eating, John collected all of their plates and glasses and went to the kitchen. Jason glared at Bane for a few more moments before leaving to join John. When they began to hear the two of them talking, Bane spoke.

"Well?"

They all sat up a little straighter. Barsad replying, "Yes?"

"What do you think of him?" His distorted voice void of emotion, his eyes staring blankly at them.

Oh no. What do they say? 

"He's fine." No, not good enough.

"He's hot as hell." No, that'll get them killed.

"He's a person." Too vague.

"He's everything we imagined he'd be. A perfect angel whose beauty has us fighting the urge to fall to his feet and see to his every wish and command." A little over the top, but heading in the right direction.

Bane's eyes narrowed.

Oh god, they're taking too long. Whatever they say has to be perfect. It can't be so indistinct as to be seen as insulting. And it can't be so nice that it borders on sexual or make them look like obsessive stalkers. Otherwise Bane will see to it that their deaths are long and torturous.

"He's lovely." Barsad answered.

Bane continued to stare. 

Oh no. It wasn't good enough. Or it was too good. Whichever it was, Bane didn't approve. Now they're all going to die because of Barsad's mistake. They had seen Bane kill before, they knew the hell that awaited them.

On the plus side, at least their final moments had been spent eating the best meal they'd ever had.

As they began to feel anxiety take over to the point of hyperventilation, Bane's eyes crinkled as if he was... smiling. Looking into his eyes, they could see he was... happy? 

Yeah.

Bane was smiling because he was happy.

Barsad, you wonderful son of a bitch.

Bane then nodded, his eyes becoming softer, "He is."

"He's everything Talia said he'd be," Barsad's voice filled with reverence. Bane then looked at all of them, a look of understanding filling his eyes. Before anything else was said, John came back into the room, going to sit on the arm rest of Bane's chair. Jason choosing to lean against the wall, watching all of them.

"Did you have enough to eat?" John politely asked.

"Yes, thank you," Barsad said. The others said the same, now more confident in themselves.

"You sure? Can I get you anything else?" Looking around at everyone. He really was perfect.

Bane then stood up and answered, "It's fine, John. We need to head back to the hotel. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow." They all stood and followed as John led them towards the door.

"Alright. If your sure," he opened the door, letting them file out into the hall, John coming to stand in the doorway.

Barsad actually answered before Bane could, "We are. You've been a most gracious host," giving John a small smile. John returned a bigger smile, dimples on display, and thanked him. Even though they were now more confident, their hearts still fluttered at seeing his smile.

Bane handed the two car keys to Mustafa and Rasul, instructing all of them to wait downstairs. 

"Well, it was nice to meet all of you. You're all welcome back anytime," as John said this, he placed a kind hand on the arm of the person standing closest to him, which happened to be Nasib. John had already turned his attention towards Bane, so neither one of them noticed what happened. When John had touched him, his nausea from earlier came back so strong his knees buckled and he could hardly walk. Poor Nasib had to be carried by Tamir and Jasim back down the stairs and to the vehicles.

They all went back down the hall and had started back down the stairs. Barsad was last and just as he went to follow them down, he happened to look back over at Bane and John.

That's when he saw it.

 

* * *

 

John wrapped his arms around Bane's neck as Bane wrapped his around John's waist.

"Not very talkative, are they?" He gently began to massage Bane's neck underneath his leather jacket.

Closing his eyes in contentment he answered, "They usually aren't."

Humming for moment John said, "Maybe they don't like me."

"They do like you. If they didn't, I would kill them."

John gave a soft laugh, "You can't kill people just because they don't like me, Bane."

"You mean to say I shouldn't kill them. I very well could," opening his eyes to look down at his little bird. He brought one hand up to gently trail down the side of his face, before cupping his cheek. He smiled behind his mask as John nuzzled his hand. John then pressed closer to him, so they were flush against each other. He tightened his arm around John's waist possessively.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" casting his dark eyes up to look at Bane.

"We will have a lot to do, but I'll try to come by before it gets too late."

John brought his hands to cup both of Bane's cheeks, his hands covering the sides of his mask. They stood there staring into each other's eyes for a moment.

"I love you," his fingers gently tracing Bane's mask, where his mouth should be.

"And I love you, habibi," bringing his own fingers to gently touch John's lips.

 

* * *

 

Bane was not a gentle man.

Even at the temple, he never once saw him touch Talia. Of course, he allowed her to touch him, usually just a touch on his arm or hand, but he never touched back. During training, he was merciless, never holding back, believing it would prevent one from learning how to properly fight and defend themselves. Because of this, very few volunteered to be his sparring partner. Even fewer being deemed worthy enough to be completely trained by him. Barsad was one of those few.

He had seen Bane in battle and he was brutal. He preferred to kill only with his hands. He's seen him snap necks with, seemingly, no effort. He's seen him strangle and suffocate men with only one hand. He was there when Bane repeatedly punched a man in the face until his skull caved in. There were many more stories that could be told about Bane. Ask any man in the League and they could tell you any number of gruesome deaths caused by Bane's hands. 

Ask anyone about him and they'd all tell you the same thing:

Bane was not a gentle man.

Yet, here he was. Gently holding John, being careful not to squeeze him to hard. Gently trailing his fingers across John's face as if he was made of glass that would shatter if you so much as breathed too hard near him. All these months when he was thinking about John, about his and Bane's relationship, it never occurred to him that Bane touched him. That the intense, savage beast that was their leader, who killed countless men with only his hands, would be capable of touching someone so delicate as John and not hurt him. That he knew how to touch without breaking or crushing him. To touch John with so much care and reverence.

He didn't think it was possible.

They were speaking too low for him to hear what was being said, but he could see the adoration and complete devotion in their eyes.

He watched as John touched Bane's mask and Bane touched John's lips, both with such care and tenderness in their every touch. He watched them for a moment longer when he realized.

They were kissing.

A kiss a symbol of affection and love between lovers, but because of the mask they couldn't indulge in the gentle press of each other's lips. There couldn't be any two people in the world who loved each other more than Bane and John did. Yet, they were denied the simple act of kissing, something so many took for granted.

Looking at them once more, he supposed it didn't matter. They still found a way to show each other how much they loved each other, how much the other meant. 

No, there were no two people in this world who loved each other more than Bane and John did. Barsad was sure of that.

It was at that moment he turned to make his way downstairs.

It was at that moment he made a promise. A promise to himself and to Bane.

He would do everything he could to protect John Blake. 

Even if it cost him his life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *peeks out from under desk*  
> Is it safe to come out?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter. Sorry it's so short, writing is really hard.
> 
> Sooo.... *dives under desk*

It took them less than a day to figure out John Daggett had something to do with the mysterious group making its way into Gotham.

They had been working since six o'clock that morning. Bane had received word that unauthorized shipments had been coming in down at the docks. Strange thing was none of the local crime gangs or even Gotham's reigning druglords were claiming them. Rasul, Shakib, Hatim and Basir were able to pose as dockworkers down at the warehouses where the shipments were being unloaded. 

Within an hour, they found the workers who had been paid off to take care of the imported cargo. Hoping to find out who was receiving the shipments, they pretended to be interested in the same line of "work". They were told they would need to talk to a man named John Daggett.  

Two hours after they relayed the information, Tamir and Zahid had found what they needed. Hacking into Daggett's personal bank account, they found large sums of money had been payed to an unnamed recipient in Africa. After contacting League members based in Nigeria, they learned Daggett had diamond mining rights all across West Africa. Further digging showed he had hired a group of mercenaries to help him secure those rights. Unfortunately, they weren't able to find out who the mercenaries were (yet), but they had strong feeling they were involved with the group already in Gotham.

By two o'clock that day, Rasul, Shakib, Hatim and Basir were "hired" at a contruction site, working for Daggett Industries. 

 

* * *

 

Knocking three times on the door, John waited shuffling through the files he had in his hands, trying to put them in some semblance of order.

"Come in," an older voice said, slightly muffled through the door.

Stepping in the office, he shut the door behind him, "I have the files you requested, sir." Looking up, he saw Commisioner Gordon standing behind his desk sorting through the papers strewn about. Carding a frustrated hand through his hair, he looked up at John.

"Ah right... thank you," taking the folders from John's hands, "Please, have a seat."

"Everything alright, sir?" he asked, as they both sat down.

Pausing from looking at the files, Gordon sat back in his chair and ran a hand down his face.

Heaving a sigh, "Just a lot of paperwork piling up. I've got cases from two months ago that still need to be filed properly. Not to mention this benefit party I'm expected to attend," tossing a card towards John. Picking it up, he saw it was an invitation to the annual benefit hosted by Mayor Anthony Garcia being held tomorrow night.

The Dent Act had helped the police clean up the streets from small time criminals to busting mobsters such as Falcone, reducing the crime rate by over fifty percent. One year after such success the mayor held a party in celebration. The guests of honor were the higher ranked officers of the GCPD which included Gordon. Other attendees included rich businessmen and high class socialites, mostly there for good publicity. They made donations to the police department and the police academy. Since then, the benefit has become an annual event.

"At least you can invite one guest. So it shouldn't be too bad," trying to help ease Gordon's stress.

Giving a kind smile, "Unfortunately, I don't have anyone to ask." They both went silent for a moment.

"I could go with you... if you want, sir," John didn't know what made him say it. Not that he didn't mean it, just volunteering to go to a party as his boss's plus one might come across as unprofessional. Not to mention a little weird.

"That's very kind of you, son, but I'd hate to drag you along. Only one of us should have to suffer through that," offering a playful smile.

Smiling in response, John nodded his head in understanding.

"Well, I need to get back to work," getting up and walking over to the door. Turning back, "If you change your mind, let me know. I'll be happy to go with you."

Gordon offered one last smile, "Will do."

They nodded once to each other before John closed the door and went back to his desk.

 

* * *

 

They had been working on the site for only an hour or so when a man in a gray suit came to them, instructing them to follow him to a car. They got in and rode for about 15 minutes before they stopped in front of a building. After stepping out, they saw "Daggett Industries" written on the front. They followed the man to an elevator and up to the 14th floor. 

Stepping into a large office, the man in gray said, "Mr. Daggett will be in to see you soon," before he left, closing the door behind him. They looked around the office, taking in the sickening interior, everything obviously a display of wealth. About 4 minutes later, a man in a finely pressed black suit and tie came in, arrogance apparent in his step and smile.

"Ah, you must be the gentlemen I hear are looking to work for me," he stopped a few feet away from them, taking in their appearance, "I'm John Daggett, the man in charge and you are?"

Rasul replied, "Are names important?"

Daggett gave a satisfied smile, "I like you already. Straight to business."

He then went to sit behind his desk, pulling open a drawer, "Have you ever done a job like this before?" He pulled out a stack of cash before he began to count several bills, laying them out onto the desk.  
They hadn't had enough time to figure out what Daggett and his men were planning, so they needed to get in a little further with the group. Deciding to try and get any information from Daggett about the mercenaries, Rasul said, "We've done similar work in West Africa."

At those words, Daggett stopped counting, stilling his hand midair.

"Oh, you're here for the plans," looking up at each of them.

Not sure what to say, they opted to stay silent. Daggett began to gather all the bills together, before putting them back in the drawer.

"Why didn't you just say so?" opening a different drawer, he pulled out folder, handing it to Rasul. 

"Tell him I want it done by the end of the month. He'll get the other half when the job's finished."

They all nodded before making their way to the door. When they entered the elevator, they looked inside the folder to find papers. One had a list of businesses, the other 4 appeared to be blueprints of a building. Looking thoroughly through the blueprints showed them what they were for.

The Gotham Stock Exchange.

 

* * *

 

Closing the door behind him, John began to take his coat off, startling slightly when a pair of hands touched his shoulders.

"Relax, it's just me."

Sighing, "You scared me," letting Jason take his coat off for him and hanging it on the coat rack.

"Sorry."

They both made their way into the kitchen, Jason grabbing a beer while John gathered the ingredients to make dinner. After he had everything preheating, he went to change clothes. Putting on sweats and a t-shirt, he walked back in the kitchen sitting beside Jason at the table.

"How was work?" Jason asked.

"Same as usual. Lots of paperwork," he crossed his arms on the table before laying his head on top of them. He sighed in pleasure as Jason began to massage his neck.They sat in silence for a few minutes when the oven beeped. He got up to start making dinner, Jason coming to stand next to him. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and legs, sipping at his beer.

"So, will _Bane_ and his merry men be joining us for dinner tonight?" Jason spitting Bane's name distastefully. John sent him a pointed look before saying, "No, they won't." 

Jason's mood instantly lifted.

"But Bane might stop by a little later, if he has time."

Jason's mood instantly soured.

"Great," he grumbled under his breath.

"You know Bane always acts cordial towards you. You could do the same," looking over at Jason.

"Why bother? Bane doesn't like me either. He only acts that way for you," he said before taking several angry gulps of beer. He was brought from glaring at the floor as John laid a hand on his cheek, turning him so they were looking at each other.

"So why can't you do the same? You and Bane are the most important people in my life. Even if you don't like him, can't you at least pretend to get along?" John's words and eyes were pleading, "Please? For me?"

He could never deny John anything, "Fine."

Even though he couldn't stand Bane, he'd do anything to make John happy and the smile John gave him right then.

He knew it was worth it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's not a very good chapter.  
> I know certain things I want to happen, I'm just having trouble getting there.  
> So, I'm gonna ask for your help.
> 
> Leave a comment and tell me what you think should happen!
> 
> Thanks guys!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short, crappy chapter.  
> I'm sorry.

He was putting away the folders he had been working on in the bottom drawers of his desk, trying to clean up a bit before he headed out for lunch. When he sat back up in his chair, he saw Commissioner Gordon coming to stand in front of his desk.

He sat up straighter, "Can I help you, sir?"

Gordon gave him a kind, almost shy smile, "I was wondering if... maybe... you would like to join me for lunch?"

He paused for a moment before giving a small smile in return and answering, "Yeah, of course." Gordon gave a nod before moving to stand by the main door, waiting while John finished cleaning off his desk. Once he was done, he grabbed his coat and went to join him.

They went to a small cafe that was on the same block as the police department. They talked about work for most of the meal, only briefly talking about their personal lives. After the waitress brought their desserts and left, they both went quiet for moment.

"Did you really mean it when you said you'd go with me?" 

When he paused to look at Gordon, he saw him staring down at his plate intently, "You mean to the benefit?" 

At Gordon's nod he said, "Yes, sir, I did."

Gordon continued to look down at his plate, gently prodding at the half eaten pie with his fork. He cleared his throat before asking, "Would you go with me?"

"Yes," nodding his head.

Gordon finally looked up, giving a relieved smile, "Thank you, son. I really appreciate it."

He smiled back before they finished their desserts and went back to work.

 

* * *

 

 

Filing away the rest of the papers and shutting down the computer, he glanced over to the clock. 

_5:02_

The benefit didn't start until six thirty, so he should have enough time to make dinner, shower and get dressed. If he made something quick for dinner, he might have enough time for a short nap. Since Bane couldn't stop by last night, he and Jason ended up playing video games and drinking beer till close to midnight, so he didn't feel as well rested as he usually did. Grabbing his coat, cell phone and keys, he made for the door. He stopped and turned when he heard Gordon calling him from behind. He waited until he caught up before they made their way out together.

After they walked down the steps and onto the sidewalk, Gordon spoke.

"I was thinking we could meet here," gesturing to where they were standing, in front of the police station, "around six twenty and take my car from here."

"Okay, sounds good."

"I hope I'm not dragging you from any plans you had this evening," he looked over at John, giving him a chance to change his mind.

He gave a soft smile, "No, I don't have any plans."

Gordon gave a slight smile back, "If you're sure..."

"I'm sure," John smiled a little wider, "I'll see you at six twenty," beginning to walk towards the parking lot where his car was parked. When he opened the car door he turned to give a quick wave to Gordon.

Gordon did the same, then he was heading home to get ready.

 

* * *

 

After spending last night trying to figure out what Daggett had planned, the only thing they could see to do at this point is to just keep low. Rasul, Shakib, Hatim and Basir would continue to work their way into the mercenaries group and would also make sure the man in charge got the plans before he or Daggett found out they weren't actually with them. Hopefully when he did get the plans, they'd be able to stop them before they carried out the job. Whatever the "job" is.

Since there was nothing else for him to personally look into at the moment, Bane was making his way down the hall to John's apartment. He had been hoping that he could spend the evening alone with his little bird. Perhaps go for a walk in the nearby park like they usually did when Bane came to visit. Or stay in with John in his arms while they talked about anything and everything. Although what he'd really like is to spend the rest of the evening making love. It's been three months since they've been together and he was aching to touch John. To claim him as his once more. Arriving at his destination, he knocked three times on the door before waiting. 

Of course, even if they weren't intimate, he would still be happy. So long as he was alone with John, that was all he needed.

But as the door opened, he realized it was not to be.

"Bane."

"Jason."

They stood there staring at each other for a minute before Jason said, "John's not home yet."

"I can wait," Bane replied, already stepping around the other man and into the living area, ignoring Jason's groan of annoyance. After Jason closed the door he walked into the kitchen, Bane following a few steps behind. He sat down at the kitchen table watching Jason grab a bottle of beer from the refrigerator before sitting down across from him. They sat in silence for a few moments, sizing each other up.

"So... Just you tonight?" Jason asked before taking a sip of beer.

"Yes. My men have business to attend to."

They went silent again, their eyes never breaking contact. Neither one said anything else for the next five minutes, both of them fighting to keep their opinion of the other to themselves. 

They both stood up immediately when they heard the door opening and closing. John then came into the kitchen, slight surprise coming over his face at seeing both Bane and Jason waiting for him. The surprise was quickly replaced with a sweet smile.

He stood on his tip toes to place a kiss on Bane's temple, "Hey, I didn't know you were coming."

"I hope you weren't waiting too long," also placing a kiss on Jason's cheek.

Jason shrugged one shoulder, "Nah, I was only here for ten minutes before _he_ showed up," jerkily pointing his thumb towards Bane. 

John was looking through the refrigerator and cabinets, pulling out various ingredients, "I was thinking soup for dinner. Is that okay?" peeking over his shoulder at Jason, who nodded his head. Grabbing the last ingredient, he looked over to Bane, "Will you be staying for dinner?"

Bane nodded his head as well, "If you don't mind."

"Of course not," John smiled at him. Bane and Jason sat back down at the table watching John cook. 

Thirty minutes later, John and Jason were sitting at the table eating while Bane was eating in John's room. 

"So, I guess you'll want to be alone tonight?" Jason was glaring down at his bowl. 

John glanced over at him, "Actually I'm going with my boss to Mayor Garcia's benefit party tonight."

While Jason was disappointed they wouldn't be hanging out tonight, he was happy that John wouldn't be spending the evening with Bane. He sat up a little more in his chair now that he was no longer in a foul mood before taking a few gulps of his second beer.

"Why are you having to go?"

"Commissioner Gordon didn't want to go by himself. I didn't want him to go by himself," John shrugged his shoulders slightly, "So I said I'd go with him." After that, they finished their meal in comfortable silence.

After putting their dishes in the sink, John left for his bedroom to get ready for the party. A few minutes later, Bane came out also placing his empty bowl in the sink before going to sit in one of the arm chairs in the living room. Jason sat on the couch, grabbing a game controller and turning the tv to the right input.

"John's gonna be gone the rest of the evening," not looking at Bane. From the corner of his eye he could see Bane nod.

"Yes, he just told me."

They both went quiet.

When he had everything set up, he began playing a first person shooter game. The only sounds in the apartment coming from the game and the faint noise of the shower running. 

Twenty minutes later, John stepped from the hallway dressed in black slacks, a white button up shirt and his suit coat thrown over his arm while he finished straightening out his tie. Jason turned off the gaming system and tv as he and Bane stood up. When John finished his tie and put on his coat he held his arms out to the sides.

"Well... How do I look?"

"Beautiful," they both said at the same time. When John glanced down shyly they both glared at each other quickly.

When John gathered his phone, wallet and keys, they went into the hall. After locking the door, John turned and led the way down the stairs, through the lobby and out onto the sidewalk. 

Turning towards Jason, John said, "I should hopefully be back around nine, if you still want to hang out tonight."

Jason shook his head, "I got something planned around that time. It's fine, we can do something tomorrow."

Jason then leaned in to place a light kiss on John's forehead. Not wanting John to see him glaring, Bane simply looked away. After John kissed Jason's cheek, they both watched him walk a little ways down to a motorcycle parked by the curb. Putting on his helmet and revving the engine, he and John gave a quick wave to each other before he finally took off. When Jason was no longer in sight, John turned towards Bane, stepping into his embrace.

"Do you have anything to do tonight?" running his hands under the lapels of Bane's jacket and down his chest.

"No," pulling John closer to him.

John looked up at him, a coy smile on his lips, "Can you stay the night?" 

Understanding what his little bird meant, he gently squeezed John's sides and rumbled, "Yes."

John smiled a little wider before bringing one hand to cup the side of his mask. Bane leaned his head down so John could place a firm kiss to the top of his exposed cheek. He pulled away still smiling and walked down to his car. Bane watched him drive away before walking across the street to his own motorcycle and driving back to the hotel to wait until tonight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think my writing is getting worse.  
> I'm sorry, I'll try to make the next chapter longer and better.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter.  
> It's not as long or as good as I was hoping it would be.  
> But, I hope you enjoy it.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine," trying to encourage Gordon.

They had just arrived to the Golden Rose Ballroom, Gotham's finest ballroom and event center, and Gordon was already nervous about having to socialize among all the rich guests. It seemed most of the attendees had arrived, they were either talking, posing for the media just outside the building or dancing to the music the live band was playing. After he finished straightening out Gordon's tie for the third time, he grabbed two glasses of champagne from a waiter passing by, handing one to Gordon.

"Here, this will help."

"Oh, I'm not much of a drinker," Gordon said, looking down at his glass.

Sipping at his own glass, "It's just one glass, sir. It'll help calm your nerves." Gordon looked up at John, "We're not at work, son. You can call me Jim."

He smiled a little, "Only if you call me John."

"Alright," Gordon gave a small smile in return. He looked back down at his drink before taking a tentative sip.

They continued to stand along the wall, drinking champagne and making small talk. They had just finished their drinks when they heard a voice over the speakers. Everyone's attention was brought to the stage where the band was set up to see Mayor Garcia at the microphone. 

"I just want to start by saying "Thank you" to everyone who came tonight and making this year's annual benefit the best we have ever had," he paused as everyone applauded," I would also like to thank the members of the Gotham City Police Department for their attendance tonight. Which brings me to the reason why we have this celebration every year... Harvey Dent." A large portrait of Harvey was unveiled on stage to the left of Mayor Garcia.

John couldn't help notice Gordon look away briefly.

"He was the best District Attorney this city had ever seen. It's because of him that so many criminals were put away and justice was served. It's because of him that we have the Dent Act and after looking over the latest reports," a large smile came over the mayor's face," I am proud to say that crime in Gotham has gone down by almost eighty percent. It's because of Harvey Dent and our finest police officers that Gotham has become a safer place to live." He paused again as everyone gave a loud applause.

"Once again, thank you all for being here. The fundraising will begin in an hour. Until then, enjoy the party!" everyone clapped one last time before going back to their previous activities.

Before they could begin to talk, they heard a voice calling.

"Gordon!" 

They turned in the direction of the voice to see the mayor making his way towards them, a big smile on his face. He held out a hand for Gordon to shake as he clasped the Commissioner's shoulder with his other hand.

"I'm so glad you could make it," he said jovially.

"I wouldn't miss it," Gordon pleasantly lied, "You've really outdone yourself."

"Yes, this is the most successful year yet," he replied, as he looked around the ballroom. Turning back to them, he held out a hand to John.

"Oh, excuse me. Mayor Garcia, this is John Blake, one of the rookies at the station. John, this is Mayor Anthony Garcia," Gordon politely said. After they were introduced, Mayor Garcia and Gordon exchanged a few more words before the mayor excused himself to speak with the other guests.

"Well, I guess I need to do the same," Gordon looked around the room, his nerves only slightly calmed. John handed him another glass of champagne before smoothing out his suit and tie.

"Don't worry, I'll be right beside you. You'll be fine, Jim," placing a kind hand on Gordon's arm.

He looked over at John then. Seeing his sweet smile, he slowly relaxed and took a few deep breaths. Feeling more confident, he looked back and smiled.

"Thank you, John."

 

* * *

 

Forty minutes later, they made their way to a secluded corner of the room.

"You did great," John handed Gordon a glass of cool water.

While he was drinking down several large gulps, John grabbed a napkin and gently dabbed at the sweat along Gordon's brow. Pulling away the empty glass from his lips, he took a few deep calming breaths.

"I hope it was enough to make them want to donate. The academy could use better training equipment," he started running a nervous hand through his hair. John smiled encouragingly.

"Don't worry. If they don't donate because of you, they'll donate for the publicity."

Gordon smiled back, relief finally starting to settle in. They stood in silence for a few moments, Gordon drinking another glass of water, slower this time and John sipping at his fourth glass of champagne. They were watching the other guests mingle and dance when Mayor Garcia called out for Gordon. Looking over, they saw him coming towards them, a man with him. 

"Commissioner Gordon, I'd like you to meet Aiden Torres. He's one of the lead board members for Wayne Enterprises. Mr. Torres has been asking to meet you," Aiden and Gordon shook hands. 

"If you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for the fundraising portion of the evening," the mayor said, before walking back into the crowd.

"Commissioner Gordon, it's an honor to meet you. I'm a huge fan after seeing everything you've done for this city," Aiden said, a slight accent in his voice.

Gordon seemed slightly flustered at the sudden attention, "Well, thank you. But I don't deserve all the credit. I have an entire division helping me."

"Even so. You're a good man. This city's lucky to have you."

Gordon gave a humble, "Thank you," in response. Aiden's eyes then cut over to John, a charming smile making its way onto his face. 

"And who is this lovely young man?" Aiden gently grasped John's hand in a handshake. 

John gave a small smile, "John Blake." 

"John Blake," Aiden practically purred," You're very lucky, Commissioner, to have someone so beautiful as your date." John looked away briefly in embarrassment while Gordon explained he only came as a friend.

When Gordon and Aiden began talking again, John looked back up to take in Aiden's appearance. He looked to be around 29 or 30 years old. Stood at about 6'2 and weighed maybe 230 or so pounds. He had deep brown eyes, medium length brown hair that was loosely slicked back, chiseled cheekbones, strong jaw and a slightly dark tan. He was handsome. 

Of course, not as handsome as Bane. Even though his face was now covered in scars and hidden behind a mask, no one could ever compare to him. Thinking of Bane had his mind wandering to later tonight. After three months his body ached all over wanting to be in Bane's arms, to feel Bane inside of him, claiming him.

He tore himself away from his thoughts when he felt a flush come over his body, not wanting to become aroused in public. Instead he focused on the other two men.

He listened to their light conversation for ten minutes until Mayor Garcia announced the fundraising was starting. Aiden gave them a friendly smile before saying, "If you'll excuse me for a moment," leaving to join the others who were making donations. Gordon turned to him, loosening his tie and looking down at his watch.

"I don't think this night will ever end," irritation apparent in his voice.

They had spent close to 20 minutes avoiding the other guests, staying in their secluded corner, when the mayor announced they had raised one hundred and fourteen thousand dollars. He also thanked Aiden Torres for his contribution of forty thousand dollars, the highest donation of the night. Everyone gave a loud applause before the band started playing a new song and they all went back to dancing and socializing. Not a minute later, Aiden joined them. 

Gordon spoke first, "That was very generous of you."

Aiden gave a small shrug of his broad shoulders, "It's the least I can do."

"Still. We don't know how to thank you." After Gordon said this, Aiden cast his eyes to John and held out his hand.

"A dance would be thank you enough," his gaze never leaving John's. 

A look of surprise came over John's face briefly at the unexpected request. He looked over at Gordon who gave a slight nod of his head. He turned to look back at Aiden before looking down and away from his intense stare.

"Um... sure," slowly giving him his own hand. Aiden grasped his hand and led him to the dance floor. Walking until they were surrounded by other dancing couples, Aiden turned and gently grabbed him around the waist, raising their joined hands in the air. John placed his left hand on Aiden's shoulder, shyly looking away as Aiden began to lead him. 

 

* * *

 

After John danced with Aiden twice, the party had started to end. Politely declining Aiden's offer of one last dance, they spoke with Mayor Garcia one last time before they finally left.

"Thanks for going with me," Gordon said as John climbed out of the car onto the sidewalk in front of the police station. 

Turning and bending down slightly so they could see each other, "No need to thank me. I had fun."

Gordon sent him a look as if to say "Are you kidding?" which John gave a soft laugh at. They finished their goodbyes before Gordon drove away. John made his way towards his own car parked down the street before making his way home to get ready for his night with Bane.

 

* * *

 

The two men watched as the young man drove away, waiting a moment before pulling away from the curb and following him. The man in the passenger seat was searching through the camera screen at the pictures they just took.

"Wow, he's beautiful."

The man driving nodded, "Yeah, he is." 

They drove in silence after that, carefully tailing the car ahead of them. About fifteen minutes later, the car pulled over in front of a building. They also pulled over, further down the street. The first man pulled up the camera to take pictures of the young man getting out of his car and entering the apartment building. When he disappeared inside, he checked through the pictures before turning the camera off. They watched the building a moment longer before pulling back onto the street and heading to the inner city.

Pulling into an alley, they parked the van and gathered their equipment. Checking to make sure no one was watching, they lifted the manhole cover and descended into the sewers. They walked for several minutes, making their way through the maze of tunnels before emerging into the mainline of the sewer that served as their headquarters. Seeing them, a lot of the men crowded around them, asking questions all at once.

"Did you see him?"

"Is he like the boss said?"

"Is he really an angel?"

"Did you get pictures?" 

At the last question, he lifted his camera for the men to see, a smile on his face. They all cheered before begging to see the photos of their leader's future wife. He turned the camera on, but before he could pass it around, they all heard their leader's voice.

"Your mission was a success?" stepping out from one of the tunnels. Every man went quiet, moving aside out of their leader's way. He walked until he stood in front of the two men.

"Yes, sir," handing over the camera. He looked through each picture carefully.

When he was done he gave a satisfied nod before taking out the memory card and handing the camera back, "Good work."

Turning and making his way to one of the computer systems they had set up, he inserted the memory card and opened up a file. He turned slightly, an amused smirk on his face.

"I'm sure you'd all like to know what he looks like."

All of the men gathered around, pushing at each other trying to get a good view of the monitors. Pleased at his men's excitement, he hit a button bringing up the pictures across all seven monitors. He stood back, watching all of them stare in awe at the man they've been searching for.

It was almost time to put their plan into motion. They had been training and preparing for this for years. Gathering all who would join their cause, carefully honing their skills, planning and waiting.

Soon, Gotham would be ashes. The League of Shadows will be under his command. He would have his revenge and destroy Bane. More importantly he would have John, his sweet, perfect angel by his side.

Right where he belongs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, writing is hard.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry you had to wait so long for another subpar chapter.  
> My mind was so full of different ideas for different stories, I couldn't concentrate.
> 
> So... here you go.

Gustave, a frenchman who had joined the mercenaries three years ago, had been in charge of them ever since they had "joined". He supervised every job they had been given and tested them to make sure they were serious in their devotion to the mercenaries. It had only been three days since then, but apparently it was almost time for the group to make their move, whatever it was. Gustave had said they could use all the men they could get and that they had proven their loyalty enough in his eyes.

So, he was bringing them to meet their new comrades. They were following Gustave through the tunnels of the sewers, trying to remember every turn they took. After several minutes, they stepped into what looked like the mainline of the sewers. 

There must have been hundreds of them. Most of them were working either moving cargo, assembling weaponry or sparring. Some of them were sitting in small groups, eating and talking. Gustave took them over to a few of the small groups, introducing them. The men were friendly enough, believing them to be the newest recruits devoted to their cause.

After the introductions, they spent the next thirty minutes helping the others unload the cargo. They recognized all of the crates to be the same ones from the warehouse. The mercenaries were the ones claiming the unauthorized shipments. All of them were filled with firearms and ammunition.

He was just about to open the next crate when he felt a small nudge on his arm. Turning slightly, he saw it was Basir. Crouching down next to him, Basir began to speak in Arabic, just loud enough for only him to hear.

" _You should see this."_  

Rasul gave a slight nod before they both stood up. They grabbed a larger crate, pretending that he was just helping him move it. He followed Basir's lead to the other side of the mainline where they stopped near one of the computer systems, placing the crate down and mindlessly shuffling around the contents. Basir looked around, checking to see if anyone was watching before motioning his head towards the monitors.

Rasul turned his head just enough to look at them. One screen had 3-D models of different buildings. Another was streaming Gotham City News. Four other screens had live video feed from different locations in Gotham.

On the last monitor was a picture of John. It had clearly been taken without his knowledge. He was standing next to a car, looking in at the driver. He was softly smiling, his dimples just peeking out.

He stared at it, trying to figure out why the mercenaries would have a photo of John. What interest could they have in him personally?

Of course, it may not be him specifically. It could just be because he works for the police department. They might have pictures of all the officers working at the GCPD. Well, either way, Bane wouldn't be happy about this. He was brought out of his musings by a hand clasping his shoulder. Looking up he saw it was Gustave, who was gazing reverently at the photo.

"Beautiful, no?"

Rasul nodded before asking, "Who is he?"

Gustave looked down at him and Basir for a moment before lightly patting his shoulder. They stood and followed him back the way they came, going back to opening and unloading the crates. As they worked, he started talking.

"His name is John Blake. He was going to be our leader's wife a few years ago until a man named _Bane_ ," his voice laced with contempt, "took John for himself."

"The bastard stole him from our leader," another mercenary nearby said, his face contorted with rage. A few others within hearing distance murmured in agreement. Some of them growling in anger, others spitting on the ground in disgust. Hatim and Shakib made their way closer at the commotion.

They listened for almost an hour as Gustave continued to tell them about John and their plan.

It took everything they had to keep their composure. 

They helped unload a few more crates before Gustave walked them back through the sewers and to one of the exits. They walked in silence to the SUV parked two blocks away. As soon as they got in, Rasul pulled out a two-way radio and sent a call to Bane.

 

* * *

 

Barsad knocked three times on the door, soundlessly swallowing the lump in his throat. Basir, Hatim, Shakib and Rasul stood behind him, nervously shifting their weight. 

As soon as his comrades arrived back at the hotel, they told Barsad everything.They had tried six times to get a hold of Bane last night, but he never answered. Barsad was able to get in touch with him this morning, Bane instructing them to meet him at John's apartment. He knew Bane would probably kill them for waiting until now to tell him about the enemies plan since it involved John. But, he also knew Bane had been spending the night with John and would probably kill them for interrupting their night together. So, having the choice between being killed last night or this morning, they chose the latter.

At least this way they would get to see John one last time.

They all stood up straight when they heard soft footsteps coming towards the door. It was silent for a moment before they heard the sound of the door being unlocked. They were greeted by John, softly smiling at them. 

Barsad cleared his throat, "Sorry to disturb you..."

Before he could finish, John cut in, his smile growing wider.

"You didn't. You must be here to see Bane," he stood to the side, holding out an arm, "Come on in."

They stepped from the entry way into the living room, hearing the sound of a shower running. John closed the door and walked towards the kitchen before turning and looking at them.

"I just started making breakfast. I have plenty if you're hungry."

They all politely accepted, trying not to seem too eager. 

"Okay, well you're welcome to make yourselves comfortable in here," gesturing his hand at the living room," or join me in the kitchen."

They would have stayed in the living room, not trusting themselves to be alone with John and not do or say something embarrassing, but the mouthwatering aroma of John's cooking had them following without a second thought.

Sitting at the table, they silently watched as John finished making breakfast. When he was done, they got up to help set the table, but John simply waved them off saying they were his guests and he would take care of them.

 

* * *

 

Take care of them he most certainly did.

Pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, spicy sausage and lightly toasted bagels. A fruit platter consisting of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and slices of apples, bananas, and oranges. Fresh brewed coffee and hot tea. 

They loved it here.

John made a plate, a small bowl of fruit and a cup of hot tea, arranging all the dishes and utensils on a tray before picking it up. 

"I'll be right back. Go ahead and enjoy," he said cheerfully before walking out of the kitchen and down the hallway. They all quickly made their plates and filled their cups with either coffee or tea before enthusiastically digging in, impatient to try everything John had made. 

It was about two minutes before John came back, sans tray, and sat down at the table between Barsad and Rasul, making his own plate. They engaged in light conversation, well John and Barsad engaged in light conversation, the others were too engrossed in their meal to notice.

After they were finished, John went back down the hall, returning with the tray filled with now empty dishes. 

"Bane wants to talk to all of you," nodding his head towards all four of Barsad's comrades. He put the tray down by the sink before leading them to his bedroom where Bane was waiting.

They stepped into the bedroom, hearing John gently close the door behind them before walking back down the hall. Bane stood in front of them, facing the bed. He was in the middle of putting his long sleeve shirt on, giving them a brief look at the long, red marks across his upper back, shoulders and down his triceps. Clear evidence of how he spent his night with John. He put his shirt on before moving to sit on the left side of the bed and doing up the straps of his combat boots and wrist brace.

"Barsad tells me you know what the mercenaries are planning."

 

* * *

 

He had helped clear the table and they were now washing the dishes. John had objected at first, but Barsad had insisted. John was kind enough to make them a wonderful meal, he shouldn't have to clean up by himself. So, John was washing and Barsad was rinsing and drying. They were about halfway through when he felt John glancing over at him every few minutes.

He didn't have enough courage to look up at him, so he stared hard down at the plate he was drying off. He did his best not to fidget under his stare. This continued for a few more minutes before John gave a soft laugh.

"What exactly did Talia say about me?"

Barsad looked up at him to see an amused smile on his face. He reached for his cup of tea and took a sip to help clear his throat before asking, "What do you mean?"

John continued to smile, "Bane told me Talia had talked about me to the League. Since you're all acting like Ra's did when we first met, I can only assume Talia's been exaggerating again," he laughed softly again.

Barsad looked away briefly in embarrassment, not sure how to respond. He took the last plate from John, rinsing and drying it off.

Barsad had assumed they weren't that obvious. As nervous and unprepared as they were to meet John, they did their best not to seem rude or disrespectful. He figured if they had been that obvious, Bane would have torn them apart for acting that way towards his wife. Since they were still alive, they all thought they hid their anxiety well. How was he supposed to know that even if Bane didn't notice, John would? He couldn't help feeling embarrassed at being caught.

He cast a quick glance over at John.

He didn't appear to be upset or insulted by their behavior. He was actually amused by it. Thinking about it, Barsad guessed he had no reason to feel embarrassed by his actions. After all, Ra's acted the same way. If his leader could act like a nervous wreck around John, well then, so could they.

...

Wait.

What?

John had noticed Barsad's reaction and laughed, already knowing what it was about.

"I know it's hard to believe. Of course, he wasn't quite as obvious as you guys are... Oh, no offense," he looked over at Barsad, worried he had offended him. He knew how members of the League took pride in controlling their emotions, training for years to be able to do so.

Barsad wasn't offended though. To ease John's worry, he gave a small smile, "None taken."

John smiled in return before continuing his story, "When Ra's and his men came to rescue me and Bane, he had acted kinda weird. Kind of distant, like he didn't want to be near me."

"Once we got settled in at the temple, Talia told me about her father and about the League. After hearing what a great, powerful man Ra's was," John gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, "I just assumed he didn't like me or something."

"When we finally got a chance to talk, I asked him about it. That's when he told me some of the things Talia had said about me." They put the dishes away in the right cupboards before grabbing their cups and sitting back down at the table. 

"We had a good laugh about it. Though, it still took a few days before Ra's finally relaxed around me and started acting like the fierce leader I'd been hearing about." He paused to take a few sips of tea.

"Well, forget what she said and relax," he gave a light, friendly pat on Barsad's hand, "Whatever she said I am, I'm not."

You mean the most warm, compassionate, breathtaking, enchanting being to ever grace this earth?

Yes.

Yes, you are.

He wanted to say all those things and more, but he didn't want to disagree with anything John said. So, instead he chose to stay silent and simply nodded in assent.

 

* * *

 

They told Bane everything.

How the mercenaries believed John had been in love with _their_ leader and wanted to be with him, but Bane had forced John to be his wife. That Bane had fed him lies and convinced John that they had always been in love and it was _their_ leaderthat was trying to keep them apart. They told him that the enemy was planning to take John, to "rescue" him. To exact revenge against Bane and Gotham City.  What exactly their plan was, they didn't know. But, whatever it was, it was big.

They told him about all the weapons they were shipping in. Tactical knives, grenades, assault rifles and machine guns. Shakib told him of the maps of Gotham's entire sewer system that they had. Certain areas circled or marked in some way.

After they had finished, Bane sat completely still and said nothing for a long while. Just stared out the window. After several more minutes, Bane finally stood. He said nothing, grabbing his leather jacket from the foot of the bed. They all moved out of the way as Bane opened the bedroom door and walked out into the hall, all of them following silently behind him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, my writing sucks.  
> So for a title, my favorite is "Wife of the Wicked" suggested by Cupcak3 (unless you don't want me to use it).  
> If anyone has any other ideas for a title, please leave a comment and let me know!  
> This story needs a title!

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh, I'm a horrible writer.  
> This is my first story ever, so I know it's probably not very good, but I hope you enjoy it at least a little bit.  
> Let me know about any grammar or punctuation mistakes (I'm sure there's plenty).  
> I tried my best to write this in my own words and I think I succeeded, but if there is anything here you think I stole from you or another writer, please let me know so I can change it and apologize.
> 
> Also I can't think of a good title, so any help is greatly appreciated!
> 
> And yes, John's best friend is Jason Todd. Because I can.
> 
> Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
> 
> Should I continue?
> 
> Thanks!


End file.
